Skip to content
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Stern Center for Language and Learning logo

Stern Center for Language and Learning

Life-changing learning for all

  • Client Login
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • For Learners and Families
        • Tutoring Services
          • Reading, Writing, and Math Tutoring
          • Learning Disability Support
          • Adult Learners
          • Summer Learning
        • Social Emotional Learning
          • Speech Therapy
          • Social Thinking
          • Autism Services
          • Social Learning Summer Programs
        • Evaluations
        • Reading Readiness Check-Up
        • Student Stories
        • Financial Assistance
        • Academic Calendar
        • News & Resources
  • For Teachers
        • Courses & Workshops for Teachers
          • Structured Literacy Coaching for Teachers
          • Orton-Gillingham Training
          • Wilson Language Training®
          • Social-Emotional Learning Courses
          • Assessment and Evaluation Courses
          • MindPlay Comprehensive Reading Course
        • Hoehl Institute for Professional Learning
          • Reducing Costs for Teachers
          • Teacher Impact Stories
          • Resources & Newsletter
  • For Schools
        • Programs and Support for Schools and Districts
          • Structured Literacy Training and Coaching
          • Orton-Gillingham for Schools
          • Wilson® Reading Programs
          • Social-Emotional Learning for Schools
          • Reducing Costs for Professional Development
          • School Impact Stories
  • About Us
        • About
          • Our Team
          • Board of Directors
          • News & Annual Reports
          • Careers
          • Contact Us
        • Ways to Give
teacher in front of a class of students

Overview

Around the Block Webinar: Planning Small Group and Whole Group OG Instruction in Your Elementary Literacy Block

Around the Block Webinar: Planning Small Group and Whole Group OG Instruction in Your Elementary Literacy Block

Having a hard time fitting in all your literacy instruction? Make the most of your teaching schedule by creating a Science-of-Reading-infused literacy block.

Who is this course for?

This webinar is designed for educators who completed past coursework in Orton-Gillingham (OG) or Structured Literacy (SL) and are interested in learning how to utilize their literacy block most efficiently. Please read more under prerequisites.

Course description

NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HOURS: 12

This webinar will energize your whole-group and small-group instruction, modeling how to maintain a perky pace that keeps students actively engaged. You will acquire practical tips to plan small groups and efficient progress monitoring. You will also learn research-based strategies for teaching vocabulary, morphology, comprehension, and writing. All participants will receive a detailed OG Scope & Sequence for classroom instruction. This training provides twelve professional development hours that count toward annual OG Academy CEU requirements, plus OG Certified training for those who already have Associate Level membership through the OG Academy.

This training will address the components of an elementary literacy block, including:

  • OG Scope & Sequence for grades K – 6
  • Essential components of literacy instruction based on the Simple View of Reading
  • Whole group & small group instruction
  • Examples of weekly schedules
  • Class-wide mastery criteria
  • Teaching tips for cumulative review
  • Lists of decodable text
  • Vocabulary, morphology, and writing activities
  • Strategies that build language comprehension and reading comprehension

This training is designed for elementary educators who completed past coursework in Orton-Gillingham (OG) or Structured Literacy (SL) and are interested in learning how to utilize their literacy block most efficiently. Please read more under prerequisites. The content of this webinar is applicable to elementary classroom teachers, ELL educators, literacy coaches, reading specialists, special educators, and speech language pathologists who work with students in grades K-5.

PREREQUISITES:

To be eligible to participate in this workshop, you must have either:

  • Previous OG coursework (30 hours or more) through the Stern Center, another  accredited OGA training program, or IDA-accredited program.
    • If you took your training with another OGA or IDA-accredited program, please have a certificate of attendance ready to upload when you register.
    • Examples of qualifying Stern Center OG coursework include:
      • Introduction to the OG Approach (5-day course)
      • OG Associate Level / OG for Intervention
      • OG Classroom Educator
    • Please note that 1-day workshops/webinars do not qualify as coursework.

OR

  • Other credentials accredited by the International Dyslexia Association. Click here to view a full list.
    • Have documentation of your credentials ready to upload when you register.
    • Please note: only the credentials listed on IDA’s website qualify. E.g., for the Wilson Reading System, you must have obtained WRS Level 1 Certification by completing the yearlong training.
Orton Gillingham Academy logo

Dates

On-demand

Course Number(s)

1630

Location and Format

Online (asynchronous), Pre-recorded Webinar

Cost

$500

Grade Level

K-5

Audience

Classroom Teachers, ELL Educators, Literacy Coaches, Reading Specialists / Interventionists, Special Educators, Speech Language Pathologists

Amy Ducey, M.Ed., Fellow/OGA

Assistant Director of the Orton-Gillingham Institute

Register Today
Browse all courses

What Teachers Have to Say

This workshop gave me SO MANY ways to include vocabulary, morphology, and sentence structure skills into our instruction to enrich our students’ understanding of language.

Around the Block: Planning Small Group and Whole Group OG Instruction in Your Elementary Literacy Block Workshop Participant

The teacher modeled responsive and relevant instruction. The resources were of the highest quality and relevance, the sessions were engaging, and the video feedback was constructive and actionable. Our teacher also accommodated a scheduling conflict. This was not only generous and inclusive, it resulted in more personalized instruction (and, I think, greater student impact.) Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this excellent program.

High school teacher in VT

This was one of the most organized, engaging, and informative courses I’ve ever taken, and I believe it will be one of the most practical and beneficial for my students.

Course Participant

I am coming away with so many tools I can use for my intervention groups. I have several students who need more of an Orton-Gillingham framework, and now I can use this approach.

Professional Learning Participant

I’m excited to bring what I’ve learned in this program to my daily classes. I’m currently using a number of reading comprehension strategies that we focused on in this class, which has been rewarding and motivating to see it in action!

High school teacher in VT

I now have so many new and great ideas for how to improve my teaching. I learned so much in this course and I am excited to keep fine-tuning and improving my teaching.

Professional Learning Participant

After taking this class and knowing Orton-Gillingham has been around for a really long time, I can’t believe that we, as special educators, aren’t trained to teach reading this way. I feel very fortunate to be in a district where we are implementing a schoolwide Orton-Gillingham Approach to reading. One of our kindergarten teachers, who has been teaching for 13 years, said her students made the most progress she had seen last year using the approach.

Sarah Grunwell | Special Educator | Addison Northwest School District

I learned a lot of new information that I already started to transfer over to my teaching. My teaching will be much more targeted now.

Professional Learning Participant

I can say with confidence that the Stern Center Orton-Gillingham Institute has transformed my teaching. The training, practice, feedback, and guidance I received from mentors during the Associate Level practicum helped me learn how to tailor my instruction to each student’s needs and to maintain the principles of Orton-Gillingham instruction so that my students could learn to read and spell with dignity and confidence.

Marisa Thomas, M.S.Ed Literacy Interventionist, Barre, VT

It was a very engaging and interactive course. The instructor has a warm presence that made me feel comfortable participating!

Professional Learning Participant

This was one of the most organized, engaging, and informative courses I’ve ever taken, and I believe it will be one of the most practical and beneficial for my students.

Intro to OG Classroom Educator Level Participant

I will be using many pieces of this course! A couple things I am already using today are the blending board and the student screens!

Introduction to OG: Classroom Educator K-12 Participant

I was so excited to walk into my classroom following each class and use something immediately!

Professional Learning Participant

Every part of the course and practicum was well thought-out, allowing me to become a stronger diagnostic and prescriptive literacy teacher. The instructors were so knowledgeable of the OG approach and I always felt supported.

Becky Schaffer, Private Literacy Tutor Montreal, Quebec Canada

Thank you so much for giving me the confidence and the know-how to be an effective literacy teacher!

Introduction to OG: Classroom Educator K-12 Participant

The course was Informative and filled with positive instruction creating a classroom community of respect and support.

Introduction to OG: Classroom Educator K-12 Participant

The course offered tons of information and resources to help me do my job better, and provided a thorough review of concepts!

Professional Learning Participant

Coming away feeling super prepared for teaching kids how to actually read. I feel like a totally different teacher!

Introduction to OG: Classroom Educator K-12 Participant

The depth of information presented was incredible! I learned so much I didn’t know about the structure of the English language, which is not only helpful for my own understanding but will transform the way I teach reading.

Taryn Colonnese | Elementary School Teacher | Central Vermont Supervisory Union

Meet the Instructor(s)

Amy-ducey

Amy Ducey, M.Ed., Fellow/OGA

Assistant Director of the Orton-Gillingham Institute

Amy Ducey, M.Ed., a Fellow of the prestigious Orton-Gillingham Academy, is the Assistant Director of the Orton-Gillingham Institute. She provides training at the Orton-Gillingham Classroom Educator, Associate, and Certified levels, in addition to various literacy workshops and webinars. She teaches graduate-level courses and has created curriculum and assessment materials for universal screening and progress monitoring. […]

Learn more about this instructor
stern icon right

Supporting Teachers

Hoehl Institute for Professional Learning

The Cynthia K. Hoehl Institute for Excellence provides high-quality professional learning to educators. Learn more about Cynthia K. Hoehl, whose vision as an educator inspired a powerful legacy.

About Hoehl Institute

Frequently Asked Questions

  • All
  • Orton-Gillingham FAQ

What terms and conditions are there for professional learning registrations?

Please read the terms and conditions for our courses and workshops and contact us if you have any questions.

How do I register?

  1. If the course or workshop you’re interested in is on our website, please visit the course or workshop’s page and follow the link to access our online registration form. Complete the form by doing the following:
    1. Indicate whether you will pay with a credit card or a Purchase Order (PO).
    2. Fill out the participant information and workshop information sections.
    3. Read the Terms and Conditions and check the box to confirm your agreement.
    4. Click “Next”
  2. If you are paying with a PO:
    1. Please verify that your PO is complete.
    2. Upload the signed PO when prompted through the registration process. If you have questions please email: proflearning@sterncenter.org.
    3. Click “Next.”
    4. Your information will be sent to us to review. In 1–2 business days, we will confirm your registration by sending you an email with “Registration Confirmation” in the subject line.
  3. If you are paying with a credit card:
    1. Click “Continue.”
    2. On the Payment Method screen Click “Pay with Credit Card” to continue to Authorize.net.
    3. Enter your credit card information and click “Pay now” to complete your credit card transaction.
    4. Your information will be sent to us to review. In 1–2 business days, we will confirm your registration by sending you an email with “Registration Confirmation” in the subject line.
  4. If the course or workshop you’re interested in is not listed on our website, please contact us to learn more.

Can OG be used in the classroom for general education purposes?

The Orton-Gillingham Classroom Educator is qualified to apply the principles of the Orton-Gillingham Approach to modify and provide literacy instruction in a classroom or small groups. To become an Orton-Gillingham Classroom Educator, you must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, do 30 hours of coursework by a Fellow or a Fellow-in-Training, and 50 hours of supervised practicum over eight consecutive months.

Explore more Orton-Gillingham resources on OGA’s site.

How can I become certified in Orton-Gillingham?

The prerequisites to become certified in OG include earning a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and satisfactory completion of Associate-level requirements; 100 hours minimum of coursework by a Fellow, or by a Fellow in Training as designated by the Fellow; and 200 hours supervised practicum over two academic years minimum, which includes ten entire 4–60 minute lesson observations of the trainee by a Fellow on-site, unedited video or web-based applications.

 Explore more Orton-Gillingham resources on OGA’s site.

Is Orton-Gillingham a program?

A program is a plan, schedule or procedure to be followed to a specified end. A program provides structure but doesn’t teach and educator how to respond to different student errors and tailor each lesson based on student performance and individual learning needs. 

An approach is the means adapted to tackling an issue. Orton-Gillingham is an instructional approach. It is most properly understood and practiced as an approach, not a method, program, system, or technique. In the hands of a well-trained and experienced instructor, it is a powerful tool of exceptional breadth, depth, and flexibility.

Explore more Orton-Gillingham resources on OGA’s site.

What is the Orton-Gillingham Approach?

The Orton-Gillingham Approach is the underlying foundation of all multisensory, structured language instruction. Orton-Gillingham (OG) systematically teaches the structure of the English language by incorporating multisensory modalities in a structured yet flexible approach, ensuring student success. The Stern Center’s Orton-Gillingham Institute is the only organization in Vermont that provides OG training accredited by the Orton-Gillingham Academy. We offer coursework and practicum opportunities toward three certifications: OG Classroom Educator, OG Associate Level, and OG Certified Level.

Orton-Gillingham Resources

Orton-Gillingham Materials stapled on wall

The Orton-Gillingham Approach

Ensure every child becomes a reader with this powerful, multisensory approach to literacy instruction.

What is Orton-Gillingham?
Teachers using Orton-Gillingham Materials

Orton-Gillingham Training

View upcoming Orton-Gillingham courses, workshops, and webinars. All of our OG trainings are available online.

OG Courses & Workshops
Reading teacher in front of class instructing

OG Certification

We are accredited by the Orton-Gillingham Academy and offer courses/practicums leading to three OGA certifications.

Explore OG Certification
  • Teachers
  • Students
  • Schools
  • States
Teacher and kindergarten students sitting on the floor in a classroom, raising their hands

Our Reach by the Numbers

2,250+

Teachers Served Every Year

When a teacher takes one of our courses, the positive impact ripples beyond one life, spreading through an entire classroom, school, and community.

Three people, one in a wheelchair, with their arms raised and mountains in the distance

Our Reach by the Numbers

13,891+

Student Services Hours This Year

We offer one-on-one teaching that transforms lives, lifts up voices, and inspires learners to bring forth their unique gifts to a world that awaits them.

Stern Center innovations photo of girl raising her hand eagerly

Our Reach by the Numbers

94%

of Vermont School Districts Served

We celebrate the dedication of our school partners and share their commitment to a brighter future for all learners.

Teacher leading a classroom with a small group of students

Our Reach by the Numbers

37

States and Counting

We’re a national leader in language and literacy. Our impact currently extends across 37 states and 9 countries through the thousands of educators we reach and students we serve.

Keep Learning

Resources for Teadchers

Resources for Teachers

Explore evidence-based resources for teaching structured literacy, Orton-Gillingham, SEL, and more.

Explore our resources
Teacher Impact Stories

Teachers Making Change

We celebrate the dedication of our fellow educators and share their commitment
to helping every learner grow and thrive.

Read teacher impact stories
Course Registration

Course & Registration FAQs

Do you have questions about course registration, credits, grants, or anything else? Find your answers here!

Go to FAQs

Get in Touch!

For questions about courses and workshops, email proflearning@sterncenter.org, call 802-878-2332, or fill out the form below.

For Learners

  • Tutoring Services
  • Evaluations
  • Social Learning & Speech Therapy

For Teachers

  • Courses & Workshops
  • Structured Literacy Coaching & Teacher
  • Orton-Gillingham Training
  • Wilson Language Training®
  • Newsletter

For Schools

  • Structured Literacy Coaching & Teachers
  • Orton-Gillingham for Schools
  • School Support

About Us

  • Mission & Values
  • News & Resources
  • Giving
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Media Center
  • Privacy Policy

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • PL Newsletter

Hearts Icon

This website is made possible thanks to
the generous support of Deborah Schapiro & Louis Polish and Margie L. & Peter Stern

Stern Center

Because all great minds don’t think alike.

Map of Stern Stern Center for Language and Learning
Click to enlarge

Stern Center for Language and Learning

183 Talcott Rd #101
Williston, VT 05495
Phone: 802-878-2332
Fax: 802-878-0230

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn

Contact Us

Copyright © 2026 Stern Center for Language and Learning
Website by Stride Creative Group